Not sure where VW is going with Golf SV
Volkswagen never did a Golf MPV in the same way Ford produced the hugely successful Focus C-Max. The Golf Plus was based on the Golf platform of the time, but that meant for restrictions as to how big they could make it. Nevertheless the German giant does produce the five or seven seat Touran and with it and the Golf Plus, appeared to have a reasonably satisfactory blend of models for the family market.
However the arrival of the Mk 7 Golf and its accommodating MQB structure - which has allowed VW and sister companies Audi, Skoda and Seat build a whole host of different models - gave the company an opportunity to build a true Golf MPV - the SV.
To my mind, though, questions remain. Did they really need to do so? Will the new car dilute the brand values of the Golf? Will it be a turn-off for traditional Golf buyers?
I can only offer my own opinions, but I have to say that after a week with the Golf SV, I’m not sure that Volkswagen has got it right.
For a start there is the look. It’s neither a car or MPV - or estate for that matter. It is very low slung for an MPV and very tall for a car. I got a real feeling that this is not a car which will appeal greatly to traditional Golf buyers - motoring’s everyman. It moves the Golf brand out of an established comfort zone and puts this model firmly in one niche segment. I’m not sure that entirely fits with the hard-earned brand identity Golf has won down the years.
I’m sure the planners and marketeers at Wolfsburg would scoff at such suggestions and point to their colleagues over at Audi who have plundered a whole raft of new market niches for their products and grown its model line-up from having 17 in 2001 to 47 now.
Audi now regards model proliferation as the key to its very healthy profit levels (operating profit in 2013 was €5 billion) and obviously others are taking note, not least sister outfits within the Volkswagen Group.
The SV is one of a number of new variants which will be coming from VW in the coming few years and it almost certainly heralds the fact that the next Touran will be significantly bigger than the current model.
Quite why they had to call the SV the ‘Golf SV’ and not any other name, remains puzzling to me though.
Anyway, the Golf SV is with us now and we have to evaluate it. Given its proportions, it is obviously more of a family car than the regular Golf.
Being taller and with the wheels pushed as far into the corners as possible, it is designed to accommodate more stuff while still having just five seats.
The SV is undoubtedly spacious and the fore/aft sliding rear seats and the variable height floor in the boot add further practicality to proceedings.
VW has eschewed any trickery with regard to the design of the rear seats and a conventional 60:40 split design is incorporated. Nothing truly innovative there.
Elsewhere, the rest of the interior is very familiar Golf territory. All the materials are of a high quality and the dashboard layout and switchgear are all very much of the Golf.
The touchscreen infotainment system is very user-friendly - much more so than many rivals which seem fussy and complicated by comparison.
The driving position is obviously higher than in a regular Golf and that will please many potential customers, as will the very supportive seats and the multi-adjustable driver’s seat. Visibility all-round it is very good and parking this thing in tight spaces will not be a concern.
The driving dynamics, however, are nothing like those of the Golf proper and if you’re looking for something that is truly engaging to drive, then look elsewhere.
It is fine on motorway journeys and generally behaves well on secondary roads with plenty of grip. But it is nothing like as sharp a handler as its’ sibling.
The 1.6 TDi turbodiesel we tested is a familiar and robust contender. There is some 110 bhp on tap and that is plenty sufficient for most family drivers as this will prove itself to be a good load-lugger in pretty much any circumstance. Its performance will certainly not going to shock you, what with a top speed of 192 kph and an 11.3 0-100 kph time, but the potential fuel consumption figure of 4.0 l/100 km (70 mpg) will certainly appeal.
Given all these facts, the SV does present a decent buying option for a large number of people, but it is nothing like as complete a motor car as the one with which it shares its’ name.
I do not understand VW’s thinking in building it. For many people, surely, the Golf Estate or even the Passat Estate make as much sense as a buying option and the Touran even more so.
I will be interested to see the sales figures in a couple of months time.
Colley's Verdict
The Price: from €28,085 in Highline trim - €30,510 on the road.
The Engine: a familiar unit from VW which will not startle with performance, but is essentially a decent companion with excellent economy.
The Specification: excellent in Highline spec.
The Overall Verdict: a curious addition to the VW line-up and one which could well be doomed by buyer indifference. We will see.
